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08 August - 22 August 2013 Your FREE Newspaper

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WOMEN?S DAY

FASHION FAIR TO BE BIGGER REFLECTIONS: MANASE LESSONS

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Improving power supply

SLINDILE MALULEKA THE eThekwini Municipality is developing and upgrading its electricity infrastructure as one of the ways to ensure less power outages and increase quality electricity supply. The projects are being rolled out in different Wards within eThekwini by the Electricity Unit with a capital budget of about R653 million allocated for the new financial year which began in July. The budget is set aside solely for infrastructure development and infrastructure reinforcement. Pleased with the projects that are being implemented, Cllr Nigel Gumede, Chairperson of the Human Settlements and Infrastructure Committee, said it was for the betterment of the lives of the people. ?Many people need electricity and some of those who cannot afford steal electricity which then affects those who are paying for the service. As a result, we are increasing infrastructure like transformers and upgrading substations to be able to beef up the electricity supply and improve the lives of the people,? he said. Unit Head, Sandile Maphumulo said many electricity projects will be rolled out during the period of the new financial year. ?Our system reinforcement projects are aimed at increasing security and quality supply which then leads to less power outages. Power outages, which are mostly as a result of illegal electricity connections and copper theft, are a challenge in eThekwini,? he said. As the delivery of basic services continue to be a leading priority in eThekwini, the Unit has on-going projects which include installing electricity in some areas like transit camps and informal settlements earmarked in the Integrated National Electrification Programme (INEP). There are currently about 410 000 informal swelling in eThekwini and an amount of R750 million has recently been approved by Council for the provision of electricity and sanitation to informal settlements and rural areas. Since the start of the INEP, about 6504 informal dwellings from 16 informal settlements and most of the transit camps identified, now have access to electricity. Of the 6 504, 1 504 were electrified during the first month of the financial year. Speaking of some of the projects aimed at sustaining electricity which have been approved by Council, Maphumulo said one of the areas set to benefit is Chesterville which is on a radial feed. ?When there is a fault, a large number of customers in the area are affected for an extended period of time and the electricity supply can only be restored after the fault is repaired. To eliminate this challenge, it is necessary to install 1 200m of 95mm square medium voltage cable from Booth Road Distributor Substation along Mahlathi Road to miniature substation 5828 in B G Nicolson Road to close the ring,? he said. Maphumulo added that this would reduce the number of customers affected in the event of an outage. In Ward 28, a seven panel switchboard substation at Nedbank House on Bram Fisher Road is expected to be installed, tested and commissioned as a result of an increase in electrical load. Maphumulo said the new substation would also assist in splitting the medium voltage circuits, thereby reducing the number of customers affected in the event of an outage. In La Mercy and Umdloti, the medium voltage bare overhead lines are prone to theft and have been stolen several times. ?It is recommended that we replace them with approximately 2200 metres of medium voltage underground cables in order to improve the quality of supply and to maintain a secure ring feed to these areas,? Maphumulo said. In Ward 17, which incorporates Savannah Park, Klaarwater and St. Wendolines, the Unit plans to reinforce the electricity supply. It has been proposed that about 8 200 metres of medium voltage electricity cables be installed from Shallcross Major Substation in Ukuthula Street, Inkanyezi to various roads in Savannah Park, Klaarwater and St. Wendolines. silindile.maluleka@durban.gov.za Bafana Bafana Head Coach Gordon Igesund, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children?s Fund Sibongile Mkhabela, SAFA NEC Member Poobalan Govindasamy, HOD KZN Department of Sport and Recreation Rohini Naidoo and eThekwini Mayor James Nxumalo during the announcement of the Bafana Bafana matches in Durban. Picture: GUGU MQADI

Durban to host Bafana matches

SLINDILE MALULEKA and SIMPHIWE DLAMINI ETHEKWINI Municipality has joined many South Africans in honouring Nelson Mandela?s life-long commitment to children by contributing in raising funds for the Nelson Mandela Children?s Hospital with the hosting the 19th edition of the Nelson Mandela Challenge next week. Council has approved the hosting of the Mandela Challenge match between Bafana Bafana and Nigeria on August 14 and the Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifier with the Botswana national team on September 7. Both matches will be played at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium. A percentage of the gate takings for the Mandela Challenge match will go towards the building of the Children?s Hospital. Bafana Bafana Head Coach, Gordon Igesund, has announced a 28 man squad

Doing it for mandela

that will face the reining African champions Nigeria and the kick off time is at 20h15. This is undoubtedly one of the strongest Bafana Bafana squads and has been described as well balanced as it is made up of local and internationally based players. Igesund has given first time call-ups to Luyolo Nomandela and Bongani Zungu. People will be happy to see Andile Jali in national team colours after a long abscence. EThekwini Mayor, James Nxumalo said it was Nelson Mandela?s dream to make world class healthcare available to children of Southern Africa through a world class facility in the form of the Nelson Mandela Children?s Hospital. ?We are doing this for the future of our children. Our City is growing and it is becoming a popular tourist attraction. We are happy to host the Bafana Bafana soccer matches now and in the future. This is another confirmation that Durban is South Africa?s playground,? said Nxumalo, who urge members of the public to purchase tickets in time and to pack the Moses Mabhida stadium to capacity. The Chief Executive Officer of the Nelson Mandela Children?s Fund, Sibongile Mkhabela, said; ?The load of challenges that Mandela has left for us to face on behalf of our children can only get lighter in the knowledge that there are more of us who care.? ?Since it?s inception in 1994, the Nelson Mandela Challenge has grown to be an important voice, through sport, in not only raising awareness of the reasons why our founder Nelson Mandela established the Fund, but also in making partners in the field to play their part both in word and in action,? said Mkhabela. Announcing his squad, Igesund, said he was pleased that this match will be played in Durban, which is a happy hunting ground for Bafana Bafana. ?The squad will assemble on Sunday, 11 August and will arrive in Durban on Monday, 12 August 2013. Nigeria is not going to be an easy side to beat. But at the same time we can?t lose sight of the fact that we are playing this match for the greatest statesman that has ever lived, Madiba,? said Igesund. The Municipality has budgeted an amount of R5 million for hosting the two matches, with R1.5 million for the first match and R3.5 million set aside for the Botswana qualifier. The tickets for this exhilarating encounter are selling for R50 and R100 at Computicket and Shoprite/ Checkers outlets around the country. silindile.maluleka@durban.gov.za simphiwe.dlamini@durban.gov.za

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